Cutting-torch holder



J. TEMPLE CUTTING TORCH HOLDER May 20, 1930.

Filed June 14, 1926 WI l/III/ 2 Sheets-Sheet l JAMzzs TEMPL a VIN VENTOR2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M r 4 r M,

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I -v- 10 JA MES TEMPLE BY A 'r TORNEY.

Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED STATES- JAMES TEMPLE, OF PORTLAND, OREGQNc'urrmwronofi HOLDER Application filed June 14,

This invention relates generally to the art of cutting metals with a gasflame, and particularly to a special form of holder for vcuttingtorches.

The first object of this invention is to provide a cutting torch holderwhich is very portable, in the sense that it can readily be attached tovarious machines. For example it can be placed on the carria e of aplaner for the purpose of cutting 0 excess metal before starting theplaning operation.

The second object is to so construct same that it can be used on abracket in front of live rolls. I

The third object is to so construct the holder that it automaticallyadjusts itself to irregularities in the surface of the. metal being cut,such as buckled plates or irregular forgings over which the torch cantravel, and at the same'time maintain an absolutely fixed distancebetween the ti of the torch and the surface'of the metal eing cut.

The fourth object is to enable the head to be used on a carriage in amanner that a reverse cut may be made without changing the carriage ortrack setting, thereby making it possible to secure twoparallel cuts inone piece without a change of setting or taking a measurement.

The fifth object is to so construct the device that the operator cancause the torch to completely cut through'the'metal at the beginning ofa cut before starting to feed the torch or the work, in order to avoidsplashes and irregular or incompleted cuts, as is now the case wheretorches are mounted on carriages and fed mechanically. p e

The sixth object is the construction of a switch on the holder whichwill enable the operator to make a perpendicular out after stopping hisfeed motor.

pecial reference is had to my Patent No. 1,569,154 in which a torch ismounted oh a carriage which is propelled by an electric motor having avari'a le speed control in which the current to the starting motor iscontrolled by the same lever that controls the flow af gas tothe torch.

These, and other objects, will become more 60 apparent from thespecification following as 1926. Serial No. 115,870.

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a simple form of carriage having thisdevice mounted thereon, said carriage wheels riding on a track. a whichis placed over an irregular plate, and with the torch holder removed.Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1 showing the torch and holder in position.Figure 3 is an end elevation of Figure 2. Figure 4. is an enlar ed sideelevation of the torch holder and tore Figure 5 is a front elevation ofFigure 4.

Similar numbers of reference refer to the same parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there a is illustrated a pair ofhorses 10 upon which is placed irregular plate 11 which is to be cut offon one side. on the plate 11 is placed a track 12 on which can roll thewheels 13 of a typi.al form of carriage 14, on one end of which ismounted the upright post 15 by means of the bolts 16 which pass throughthe flanged base 17 of p the post- 15. Slidably mounted on the post 15is a slide member 18 whose vertical position is determined by the 1screw 19 which journals at opposite ends of the post 15 and is providedwith a handwheel I 20. The slide 18 also forms a guide for thehorizontal arm 21, in one side of'which is formed a rack 22 adapted tobe movedby so the pinion 23 on the shaft 24 which can be rotated b thehand wheel 25.

A han set screw 26 is used 0 lock the arm 21 in the desired position. Atthe outer end of the arm 21 is mounted my special torch holder 5consisting of the vertical slide 27 which can move freely in the ide 28,but in which it can be rigidly held y the screw 29. Ears 30 on the guide28 are provided with holes 31 for the bolt 32 which permit the guide 28to be i held at any desired angle''that is, transversely with the track,or to clamp the torch holder rigidly in a desired position.

To the vertical slide 27 is secured any convenient type of torch 33whose tip 34 can be held at any distance above .the plate 11 that seemsmost desirable by means of the wheel 35 whose threaded support 36 passesthrough the arm 37 which is fastened to the lowermost portion of thetorch 33 by means of the screws 50. A clamp 51 is employed to hold thebracket 47 to the pipe 44. The arm 46A is connected by means of the wire52 to the motor 53 whose other terminal is connected by means of thewire 54 to the power line. A belt 55 from the motor 53 passes around thelarge pulley 56 on the shaft 57 to drive the carriage. This carriagedrive is, of course,

only schematic and is utilized merely to illustrate the operation of thedevice, which is as follows:

If, for example, it is desired to cut off both edges of a plate 11 thetrack 12is placed thereon and on the track is placed the carriage 14which carries the torch above described. By manipulating the hand wheels20 and 25 the torchholder is moved to the desired lateral position. Thewheel 35 is now adjusted for the purpose of holding the tip 34 a uniformdistance above the plate 11.

The cut is now started in the usual way by first applying ,thepreheating flame until the flame starts to .cut through the plate andthen applying the cutting flame as is common practi'ce. After the flamehas completely cut through the plate the operator moves his lever46sufliciently far to close the motor switch, which causes the carriage14 to travel forward in the manner described in my previously mentionedpatent.

To cut the opposite side of the plate, the carria e and track ".re notmoved, but the torch holder is turned to the opposite side of thecarriage and the operation of cutting repeated, naturally-in a linearallel with the first out without the necessity of taking more than onemeasurement, which is sufiicient to establish the width of the newly cutplate. v

If, for any reason, the plate 11 has become buckled or irregular in formthe wheel 35 follows its contour closely, always holding the tip 34 at auniform distance above the plate.

' This is especially useful when cutting sheets which have been roughlyhandled or when cutting irregular edges, such as forgings, etc., andentirely eliminates the eye strain caused by the necessity of holding.the tip 34 a uniform and correct distance from the plate 11.

When cutting a plate if it is desired to take a perpendicular outwithout completely finishing the first portion of the cut it is onlynecessary to move the lever 46 to a position where the motor circuit isbroken and to then feed the torch laterally by'means of the hand wheel25.

In existing devices in which cutting torches are carried on carriages,no provision is made for allowing the operator to hold his torch in afixed position until the plate is cut through, before starting thecarriage drive. This causes either a splash with its possible attendinginjuries, orpermits a portion of the plate to remain uncut, which mustlater be cut through completely before the plate can be free from theoriginal piece.

This is accomplished by simply enlarging the openings in the valve andbody over what is the ordinary practice which allows-a greater movementof the lever 46. That is to say, the lever 46 can be moved after thevalve'is wide open without closing the valve, which additional movementis employed to make the electrical contact which starts the feed motor.

Again, if the planer has a piece of work mounted thereon in which alarge roughing cut must be taken rom the edge of a plate which has beenleft irregular for one reason or another, it is only necessary to fastenthe members'30 to an appropriate partof the planer, depending upon thetype of planer being used, and to make the preliminary cut with a torchinstead of with the more laborious and time-consuming planer.

Again, the member 28 can be mounted directly-alongside of live rolls forcarrying sheet metal. Obviously the angle of inclination and height oftorch tip can be held under perfect control at all times regardless ofsurface irregularities in the late itself without unduly taxing the eyesof the operator.

The outstanding feature of the device is the extreme portability of itstorch holding mechanism, its use not being confined to the particularcarriage illustrated but being especially adaptable to most forms ofmachines in which either the work or the tool is moved.

If it is not desired to utilize the supporting hand Wheel for stillfurther expediting the adjustment of the Wheel 35, since such adjustmentis extremely desirable, owing'to the conditions above described andparticularly on account of scale, paint, and other foreign substanceswhich require proper application of the cutting flame to securedesirable results.

I am aware that many forms of torch holding devices have beenconstructed in the past; I therefore have directed my claim to a specialform thereof and do not intend to limit mysell to the preciseconstruction shown in the drawings, hut intend to cover such forms andmodifications thereof as fall fairly within the appended claim. 7

I claim:

A metal cutting burner of the type employing a motor driven carriage, aburner carried thereby having heating gas and cutting gas conduits eachValve controlled, characterized.

by the provision of means for starting the motor by a movement of thecutting gas valve after the opening of the cutting gas conduit, wherebythe motor need not be started until the initial cut is clear.

JAMES TEMPLE.

